What is the purpose of a monstrance?

A monstrance, also known as an ostensorium (or an ostensory), is a vessel used in Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, High Church Lutheran and Anglican churches for the more convenient exhibition of some object of piety, such as the consecrated Eucharistic host during Eucharistic adoration or Benediction of the Blessed …

What is a sanctuary lamp used for?

Sanctuary lamps appeared in Catholic chapels in England after about 1660. Their constant light signified the presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

What is a PYXE?

1 : a container for the reserved host especially : a small round metal receptacle used to carry the Eucharist to the sick. 2 : a box used in a mint for deposit of sample coins reserved for testing weight and fineness.

Why is the monstrance shaped like a sun?

The function of a monstrance is to display the Sacred Host, bread which is miraculously transformed into the body of Christ during the service of Mass. Monstrances made in the shape of the sun were very popular after the Counter Reformation, an intense period of reform within the Roman Catholic Church from the 1540s.

What is a baptismal font used for?

A baptismal font is an article of church furniture used for baptism.

What is the red candle in a Lutheran church?

3 The Sanctuary Lamp Because of the honor given to Christ’s body and blood, a red votive candle, known as the sanctuary lamp, is traditionally lit beside the tabernacle to show that it contains the consecrated elements.

What does it mean to find sanctuary?

1 : a place where someone or something is protected or given shelter wildlife/bird sanctuaries The house was a sanctuary for runaway teens. 2 : the protection that is provided by a safe place The refugees found/sought sanctuary when they crossed the border.

What is pyx used for in church?

A pyx or pix (Latin: pyxis, transliteration of Greek: πυξίς, boxwood receptacle, from πύξος, box tree) is a small round container used in the Catholic, Old Catholic and Anglican Churches to carry the consecrated host (Eucharist), to the sick or those who are otherwise unable to come to a church in order to receive Holy …

What is the difference between a chalice and a ciborium?

A ciborium is defined as a large, covered cup – such as a chalice or goblet – which features a cover, usually surmounted by a cross. The shape of the ciborium is one which is slightly different to that of a chalice, with the bowl element of the ciborium being more rotund, rather than conical.

Where the host is kept in a Catholic church?

All consecrated hosts are kept in the ciborium inside the Tabernacle. When bringing Communion to the homebound or sick, a small to medium-sized receptacle called a pyx is used by lay ministers, deacons and priests.